Advisory Council on the Environment

1. This paper is to seek Members' views on the long term land use concepts covering the public housing sites and adjoining Government land in Ngau Tau Kok, Ho Man Tin, Shek Kip Mei and Cheung Sha Wan districts proposed in the restructuring studies.

BACKGROUND

2. The conventional approach to public housing redevelopment is usually confined to the immediate boundaries of individual housing estates. It has little scope of rationalising the land uses and improving the living environment of the district. In view of the above limitations, the Planning Department and the Housing Department in end 1999, commissioned four planning consultants to carry out the restructuring studies of four areas in Kowloon - Ngau Tau Kok, Ho Man Tin, Shek Kip Mei and Cheung Sha Wan.

3. The four studies are conducted in two stages. Stage 1 (the current studies) focuses on the formulation of land use concepts. Public consultation is now carried out to solicit the views of the public on the findings and proposals of the studies. Stage 2 of the studies will assess the feasibility and implementation details of the individual land use concepts/packages. The views sought from the public consultation will be taken into consideration in finalising the land use proposals and detailed planning for the Stage 2 studies.

OBJECTIVES

4. The objective of the restructuring studies is to examine the opportunities for comprehensive planning beyond public housing sites by including the adjacent Government land within the districts. By doing so, it will bring about wider community benefits in terms of provision of community facilities and improvement to landscaping, infrastructure and environment.

THE PROPOSED LAND USE CONCEPTS

5. The main features of proposed land use concepts in individual districts are:

Making better use of under-utilised G/IC sites; providing more schools; improving landscaping and pedestrian linkages; and enhancing traffic management measures and improving living environment through layout design.

Shek Kip Mei -

Retaining and renovating selected buildings of historical significance which will become a landmark and focal point in the district; improving transport and pedestrian linkages; and increasing local open space and school provision.

Cheung Sha Wan -

Redeveloping the factory estates; creating a new district centre at Tonkin Street with an urban square and a gateway waterfront development; as well as providing new boulevards, pedestrian linkages, open spaces and educational facilities.

6. A total of 35 restructuring sites are proposed in these four study areas. The proposed long term land use concepts are presented in the Consultation Digests at Annexes 1-4. The whole process of land use restructuring will take about 15-20 years to complete. If all the restructuring proposals are implemented, there will be a net increase of 34,800 flats and 79,000 persons as compared with the current Outline Zoning Plans.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

7. The proposed land use concepts would provide environmental improvement to the community as compared with the traditional approach to public housing redevelopment. The major gains in the four districts comprise:-

A more pedestrian-friendly environment by providing five new pedestrian walkway systems, direct linkages to public transport termini/interchanges and selective pedestrianisation.

Improved living environment in terms of air quality and noise by enhancing housing layout and design and incorporating environmental mitigation measures upon redevelopment.

A more amenable environment by providing additional six hectares of district open space and improved landscaping of barren slopes, open spaces and streets.

Preservation of key visual corridors.

Conservation of one or more of the early housing blocks in Shek Kip Mei Estate for community, cultural or other uses.

WAY FORWARD

8. The consultation will last until 15 June 2002. The views sought from the public consultation will be taken into careful consideration in finalising the land use proposals as well as in detailed planning in the Stage 2 studies.

ADVICE SOUGHT

9. Members' views on the land use concepts proposed in the Studies are sought.